Heuchera plant named ‘IFHEMUL’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘IFHEMUL’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; relatively rapid growth rate; densely foliated and bushy appearance; glossy purple-colored leaves with dark purple, almost black-colored venation; long flowering period; numerous inflorescences with sterile greyed orange-colored flowers; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Heuchera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IFHEMUL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Heuchera plant,botanically known as Heuchera hybrida, typically grown as a landscapeHeuchera and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘IFHEMUL’.

The new Heuchera plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Andijk, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact Heuchera plants withattractive leaf and flower coloration and good garden performance.

The new Heuchera plant originated from a cross-pollination of aproprietary selection of Heuchera hybrida identified as code number083-09-C009, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Heuchera hybrida identified as code numberC024-02, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent in June, 2013. Thenew Heuchera plant was discovered and selected as a single plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controllednursery environment in Andijk, The Netherlands in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera plant by in vitro meristemculture in a controlled environment in Andijk, The Netherlands sinceSeptember, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Heucheraplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera plant has not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘IFHEMUL’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘IFHEMUL’ as a new and distinct Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Relatively rapid growth rate.    -   3. Densely foliated and bushy appearance.    -   4. Glossy purple-colored leaves with dark purple, almost        black-colored venation.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Numerous inflorescences with sterile greyed orange-colored        flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera havelighter purple-colored leaves than plants of the female parentselection. In addition, leaf venation of plants of the new Heuchera isdarker in color than leaf venation of plants of the female parentselection.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have darkerpurple-colored leaves than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of Heuchera hybrida‘TNHEUFP’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,358. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of‘TNHEUFP’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera are more compact than plants of        ‘TNHEUFP’.    -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera are faster-growing than plants of        ‘TNHEUFP’.    -   3. Plants of the new Heuchera flower earlier than plants of        ‘TNHEUFP’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Heuchera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Heuchera plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘IFHEMUL’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves of ‘IFHEMUL’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘IFHEMUL’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer with three plants ina 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heerhugowaard, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Heucheraproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C.Plants were 18 weeks old when the photographs and the description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrida ‘IFHEMUL’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heuchera            hybrida identified as code number 083-09-C009, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heuchera            hybrida identified as code number C024-02, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 42 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in            color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal rosette            plant habit with leaves developing from the base; densely            foliated and dense and bushy appearance; compact and            uniformly mounded plant habit; overall shape, flattened            globular with upright inflorescences held above the foliar            plane; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth            rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.8            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About 71            cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 35.4 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate in basal rosettes; simple.        -   Length.—About 9.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 8.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate to close to orbicular; palmately lobed.        -   Apex.—Obtuse with a small and short abruptly acute tip.        -   Base.—Hastate, lobes touching to slightly imbricate.        -   Margin.—About five lobes per leaf; crenate with small and            short abruptly acute tips; sinuses medium in depth and            divergent; slightly undulate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent;            moderately glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescent;            slightly rugose; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between            59A and N186D; venation, close to 203C. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to between N77A and N186C; venation,            close to between N79A and N186B. Fully expanded leaves,            upper surface: Close to N187B; venation, close to 203B.            Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to between N77A            and N186C; venation, close to N77A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 13.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper            surface: Close to 183B. Color, lower surface: Close to 177A            to 177B.        -   Stipules.—Quantity and arrangement: One at the base of each            leaf. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate with acute apex. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to N79B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged on axillary compound spikes; each spike with about            175 flowers; about 2,500 flowers develop per plant during            the flowering season; flowers face outwardly to slightly            nodding.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Time of flowering.—Plants flower continuously from the late            spring into the summer in The Netherlands; plants begin            flowering about four months after planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual flowers last about a            week on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 33.7 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—About 10.1 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 7 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;            matte. Color: Close to between N186C and 200B.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single            whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Narrow attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately            pubescent; matte. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to NN155B to NN155D. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to NN155B to NN155D; venation, similar            to lamina color; color does not change with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals in a single            whorl; lower 60% fused. Length: About 4.5 mm. Width: About            1.5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture            and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture            and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent; matte. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 150B tinged with close            to 177B. When opening, lower surface: Close to between N186C            and 200B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 150B tinged            with close to 177C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to            146D tinged with close to 177B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 63.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Erect to about 40° from            vertical. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; glossy.            Color: Close to 200A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle            axis. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent;            slightly glossy. Color: Close to between N186C and 200A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five per            flower. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close            to NN155D. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther            shape: Deltoid. Anther color: Close to 177D. Amount of            pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 168C.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: Two per flower. Pistil length:            About 4 mm. Style length: About 3.75 mm. Style color: Close            to 144C. Stigma diameter: About 0.2 mm. Stigma shape:            Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close            to N144B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Heuchera.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Heuchera have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Heuchera plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heuchera have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about    35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant named ‘IFHEMUL’ asillustrated and described.